Automatic radio tuning device



J. LA VIA AUTOMATIC RADIO TUNING DEVICE June 15, 1937.

2 Sheet S-Shee't 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1929 INVENTOR f (4% Z. 6

' y ATTORNEY June 15, 1937. J v 2,083,722

AUTOMATIC RADIO TUNING DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3 84 75 71%; INVE NTOR @[0619/7/2 La kid ATTORNEY Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFlCE AUTOMATIC RADIO TUNING DEVICE Joseph La Via, Long Island, N. Y. Application October 16, 1929, Serial No. 400,009

33 Claims. (01. 250 20) This invention relates to timing devices and particularly to automatic selective timing devices for radio receivers in which all the variable condensers are operated in unison by a single control.

It has long been desired to provide means for setting a radio receiver to receive over a period of hours or a day, certain programs consecutively from certain stations at various hours during the day, and to automatically turn on and shut off the i receiver at predetermined times, and so far as applicant is aware,-no device has yet been devised to accomplish this.

.Applicant is aware that attempts have been made at so called automatic tuning ofradio receivers, but in all these cases, so far as he is aware, the time element has never been present, that is to say, the operator could never adjust his set to tune in automatically to diflerent stations at different times of the day according to a predeter- 20 mined schedule. In all cases of automatic tuning so far in existence, the only thing accomplished has been to obviate the necessity for turning a dial or dials to find a particular station, such stations being located by merely pressing a button which would set into action means for turning the condensers to receive a specific station.

One of the objects of the invention therefore, is the provision of means for automatically tuning Q .10. radio receiver consecutively to a number 01 stations at predetermined times during a relatively long period of time, say 12 to 24 hours, and for retaining each station for a predetermined interval.

A further object is to provide means by which a radio receiver may be set to receive different stations consecutively over a period of hours with means for predetermining the time when each station is to be brought in and length of time to 40 be heard; to provide a device with which may be predetermined the performance of a radio receiver during a relatively long period 01' hours including the starting up of the receiver, the entire shutting down of the receiver andrflithe redetermined times during the period 0! hours.

A further object resides in providing means for predetermining a radio program which is to be received over a period of hours including means to shut oh the receiver entirely during any portion oithat period of hours for a predetermined length of time, and including means by which, if the station received should be not to the liking 01' 55 the operator, he may manually change to a difception of predetermined stations, all at pre-' ierent station without interfering with the remainder o1 thepredetermined program.

A further object is to produce said means which may be connected or installed in connection with any radio receiving set electrically operated or otherwise.

A further object is the provision of means by which certain predetermined consecutive actions will be performed at predetermined timed intervals.

The device is susceptible to many other uses such as in connection with television devices or radio broadcasting devices in which so called canned" programs may be broadcasted at predetermined intervals automatically, and it might 15 also be used in connection with time locks or other devices wherein it is desired to have certain events happen at predetermined times and to remain active or inactive for predetermined intervals.

It is likewise adapted for use with a remote volume control.

As one instance of the application of my device,

I show it applied to a radio receiving set, but obviously, it may be used in any of the above cases and many others not at present thought of. 5

The above and other objects of the invention are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, constituting a material part of this disclo so sure and in which?- Fig. 4" a partial horizontal sectional view showing relation of the sett'able contact elements with the corresponding" terminals.

Pig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the drive connection between the motor and the condenser shaft. a

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one modiflcation oi the invention.

The numeral ll indicates a" container of an ordinary radio receiver of any standard type and H the tuning dial. l2 represents a gang of buttons, each button indicating a different particular station, one of the buttons indicating the 0115" position of the set. I 3 is a time clock hav- 5 all ing a dial 14 provided with numerals from 1 to 12 or 1 to 24 depending upon whether it is desired to preselect the program for 12 or 24 hours. The minute hand of the clock is provided with an extending knob 56 by which the hand may be manually rotated to indicate the particular time at which certain of the stations are to be brought in. I'he shaft bearing the hour hand extends through to the rear of the clock and carries a bevelled gear ll in mesh with a mating gear l8 carried by a shaft l9 journalled in the bearings 20 fixed to a support 2|, the shaft 19 also being provided with a collar 22 to retain it in position. On the shaft l9 are fixed a plurality of discs 23 to be rotated by the shaft, each disc being pro vided with teeth or radial extensions 24 on each of which is pivoted a contact element 25, the pur pose of which will later be seen. The teeth 24 are equally spaced to correspond, with, let us say hour intervals on the face of the clock, that is to say, if the clock face shows 12 hours, each disc would have 24 teeth equally spaced around the circumference.

Each disc represents a different station. and, there would be as many discs as there are eta" tions desired for popular use.

It is well known that with many users of radio sets, each user has four or five favorite stations and if the device were provided with say four discs, it would be ample for most cases.

For brevity, only one disc and its co-operating parts are here described, but it will be obvious that any number of discs may be used so long as the associated parts are provided for connection therewith.

The contact elements 25 bridge the he tween electric terminals 26 and 21 thus closing the circuit between the two terminals and starting the electric motor 28, the current passing through the lead wire 5|, through wire 52 to terminal 26, thence through contact element 25 to terminal 21, through wire 53 to spring clips 42, through wire 54, through the motor 28, thence through wire 55 to wire 56 to the split plug to complete the circuit.

on the motor shaft 29 is a worm 3ft meshing,

with a gear 3| journalled in the bearing 32 mounted on bracket 33 fixed to the motor 28.

On one face of the gear 3| is a stud 34 to which is pivoted a connecting rod 35, the other end of which is pivoted to a lever arm 36 fastened to a shaft 39, journalled in a bearing 38 supported by a standard 38' resting on the base plate.

The shaft 39' is in axial alignment with the condenser shaft 39 and both these shafts are interengaged by a friction clutch mechanism 40, the purpose of which will be apparent.

The arm 36 and the connecting rod 35 are so arranged that though the eccentric 34 makes a complete revolution, the arm 36 will revolve through an arc of slightly less than 180 so that while the gear 3| rotates in a. single direction, the arm 36 receives a reciprocating motion to rotate the condenser shaft in either direction to cover the complete range of capacity.

Obviously, if instead of having a stop on the condenser shaft to limit its movements to an arc of less than 180 it were desired to tune the set by having the condenser shaft pass through a complete arc of 360, then there would be no necessity of converting the rotary motion of the eccentric 34 to the reciprocating arm 36, but the arm 36 would make complete successive revolutions.

absence On the condenser shaft 39 are mounted circuit breakers at set at radial intervals to correspond with the positions that the condensers will assume when tuned in to any particular station, each of said circuit breakers being pro-adjusted to break the circuit as hereinafter described, when the condensers have tuned in the particular station.

These circuit breakers, in rotating, separate the spring clips or terminals 42 thus opening the electric circuit already described and when said circuit is broken, the motor and likewise the condenser shaft are brought to a stop, the condenser then being tuned in to the particular predetermined station, which will continue to be received until the time clock as predetermined, shall again cause the motor to be energized to rotate the condenser shaft to receive another station.

Circuit breakers 43 and 44 are provided for the off position, so to speak, that is, to completely shut off the receiver at a predetermined time, and this is accomplished as follows:

When the motor is energized to rotate the condenser shaft by reason of the contact 25 on the off disc 23 bridging the associated terminals lit-21, the condenser shaft will continue to rotate until circuit breaker 43 reaches and separates the corresponding contacts 42 to shut off the motor. The circuit breaker 44 is arranged in radial alignment with circuit breaker 43 so that it too, will simultaneously separate contact terminals 45 which breaks the circuit energizing the receiver thus shutting off the power to the Current to the radio receiver is carried through the wire 5i, through the receiver, thence through wire 51 to the spring clip terminals 45 thence through wire 5? through the switch 50 and thence through wire 56 the split plug to complete the circuit.

Mounted on a carriage 46, are all of the terminals 262'! and this carriage is mounted for slidable movement toward and away from the discs 23, the carriage having elongated parallel slots 46a at each end through which project pins 461) permanently set in a shelf 59 attached to the front panel 60 of the receiver by screws or other fastening means 6|.

Arranged for longitudinal slidable movement on the shelf 59 between the panel 60 and the carriage 46 is a cam element 41 having longitudinal aligned slots 410 through which project pins 41d fixed to the shelf 59 for guiding the cam element.

The cam element is provided with projections 41 having aligned fiat surfaces to contact with the adjacent flat surfaces of the carriage 46, these projections having cam surfaces 419 on which slides the carriage 46. Attached to the carriage 46 are pins 46c to which one end of a coil spring S is attached, the other end of the spring being connected to the panel 60 by staples or other fastening means 60a.

Mounted for slidable movement in the shelf 59 is a series of push rods 48 passing through the panel 60 and each of the push rods 48 carries on its exposedend a button 49, the front of which is adapted to carry indicia such as the call letters of various stations, the opposite ends of the push rods 48 extending through the shelf adjacent the discs 23, a separate rod being provided for each disc.

Mounted on push rods, intermediate the ends thereof and within bores 62 in the shelf are coil springs 63 bearing against the bottom of the bore and against a stop collar 64 on each of the rods.

5 To each pair of terminals 26-21 is connected a spring switch l5 mounted on the panel by means of a conductor 65, the purpose of this switch being to enable the operator to short circuit the terminals for any particular station to bring in that station if desired, without waiting for the contact elements 25, which had previously been set up for that station to reach the terminals 26--2'l; that is to say, if the station now being received should not be to the liking of the operator, he may call in another station without having to make a new set-up on the disc, by merely pressing the desired switch l5 and holding it depressed until the desired station has come in. Obviously, a similar arrangement can be utilized for remote control of the set and for this purpose conductors 66 are connected to the various pairs of terminals 26-21 the conductors being carried to any remote point and being attached to ordinary push buttons 61 in a convenient switch block as.

The operation of the device will now be described.

When it is desired to predetermine a series of programs to be received during, say an 11 hour period, the receiver now being turned off, we proceed as follows:

We first move the carriage 46 out of the path of the contact elements 25 by rotating the handle 41a and its associate pinion 41b in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, thus sliding cam number 4'! to the right. Carriage 46 will be drawn by tension of springs S away from discs 23 and contact elements 25.

We then turn the hour hand of the clock to 40 the time desired for reception of the firststation, say 8 P. M. When the hour hand is on the 8, the first button 49 representing a particular station is pressed until it'contacts with the rear of the contact element 25 tipping it on its pivot 45 so that the upper end of said contact member lies in the path of the terminals 26 and 21.

We next proceed to press the second button for the next station, first turning the hand of the clock to the next hour desired, as for instance 8:30 or 9 P. M., or at any other half hour interval. This is continued until all the buttons have been adjusted. a If for instance, it is desired that the reception be received for say two hours and then the set is to be turned off for an interval; the "off button is'adjusted so that the set will remain off for the period desired and then resume receiving at the desired hour as previously determined by 60 the set-up.

When the adjustment of the buttons has been made, the carriage is moved back into position in an obvious manner by turning knob 41a. in a clockwise direction and may be left alone. It

65 might be noted that a switch 50 has been provided so that when the cam element 41 is moved to one side to allow for set-up for reception, the entire set is turned off and unless the cam element is moved back to playing position, no cur- 70 rent will pass through the set.

Now, when 8 P. M; arrives, the first disc corresponding with the first button will reach its corresponding terminals 26 and 21 and contact therewith thus energizing the motor to rotate the 75 condenser shaft until the desired station has been reached at which time-the corresponding circuit breaker 4| will open the motor circuit thus stopping the condenser shaft at that station.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is illustrated a modification of the set-up portion of the invention which may be used instead of the button and disc arrangement described in the preferred form.

In this modification, the panel 60 is provided with a recess 10 constituting a frame; and adja- 10 cent the upper end of this frame is the indicia needed or desired for the set-up of programs, namely, the word time, the Word off, and the call letters of the favorite stations desired.

Back of the panel and arranged so as to be in 15 register with the framed opening, is a shaft H having on one end abevelled gear 12 to mesh with the gear H of a timing mechanism.

Carried by the shaft II is a drum 13. Above and parallel with the drum I3 is a co-operating 20 drum 14 carried by a shaft I5, both these shafts TI and 15 being journalled in suitable bearings not shown.

Around both drums l3 and I4 is a thin flexible metal belt or band 16 provided throughout its 3 surface with a series of spaced perforations 11 arranged in horizontal and vertical alignment.

The metal band is provided adjacent one of its edges with a roughened or knurled surface 19 to frictionally engage and carry a strip of paper 18 30 supplied from a roll not shown, the paper passing over both drums and being retained in intermittent contact with the roughened surface 19 by means of an idler roller 8|].

Along the other edge, the metal band is pro- 35 vided with time indications, corresponding with the intervals at which stations are desired to be brought in, one-half hour intervals being shown on the drawing, the space between said time indications being equal to the space between the horizontal rows of the perforations in the metal band and in alignment therewith.

Fixed to an insulator bar 8| are a series of contact fingers 82 spaced to correspond and be in register with the vertical series of perforations in the metal band, each finger representing a different station and one of the fingers representing the ofi position. Each contact finger is provided with a domed contact point 83'to extend through perforations which may be made in the paper to correspond to perforations in the metal band, to make electrical contact with a bar 84 and thereby close the motor circuit as previously described.

From the terminals 82, extend lead wires 86 to the spring terminals 42 and 45. Also, behind the metal band is provided a source of light 81.

In operation, this modification is used as follows:

The program is set up by merely punching holes in the paper to correspond with the station and time desired; for example as shown in Fig. 6. At 8:30 P. M. W O R will be received and will continue to be received until 10 P. M., at which time the off contact will have reached the per- 05 forations 88 in the paper and cut off electric current to the set. At 11 oclock however, the perforation 89 will reach its corresponding contact finger 82 and station W O R will be tuned in. The perforations in the paper may be made with To the point of a lead pencil or in any other desired manner by merely sighting vertically down from the station call letters and sighting horizontally across from the particular time indication at which time it is desired to receive that station,

the light 81 illuminating the spots where periorations may be made.

Obviously, instead of using a roll 0! paper as herein indicated, a paper or other disc may be used for the same purpose in a similar manner.

Although I have described my improvements with considerable detail and with respect to certain particular forms of my invention, the foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention, and I do not desire to be limited to such details since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In an automatic radio tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and an electric motor for actuating the radio tuning elements of a plurality of rotary contact carriers driven by the timing mechanism each contact carrier representing a different radio station/a plurality of shiftable contact elements each corresponding-to a definite point of time on each carrier, means for selectively shifting any of said contact elements into operative position, a pair of electric terminals for closing the motor circuit adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatively positioned contact elements, and means to shift said operatively positioned contacts to inoperative position after they have closed the motor circuit.

2. In an automatic tuning device of the class described the combination with a timing mechanism, tuning elements and an electric motor operatively connected with the tuning elements, of a plurality of circuits to said motor each representing a particular radio station, settable means for closing a preselected motor circuit at various predetermined times controlled by the timing mechanism and means for automatically inter rupting the motor circuit when the preselected station has been tuned in.

3. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, an electric motor for actuating the tuning elements of the receiver, selectively settable means for closing the motor circuit at predetermined times to tune the receiver to receive preselected stations and means automatically operable when a predetermined station has been tuned in for interrupting the motor circuit.

4. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, an electric motor for actuating the tuning elements of the receiver, a separate motor circuit for each separate station desired to be received automatically, a plurality of selective, manually settable, circuit makers corresponding to fixed points of time, for each station, a single circuit breaker for each station adapted when its station is tuned in to interrupt the motor circuit and a timing mechanism for controlling the circuit makers whereby a plurality of stations may be tuned in at predetermined times for predetermined intervals.

5. In an automatic tuning device of the class described, the combination with a timing mechanism, tuning elements, and an electric motor operatively connected with the tuning elements,

of a group of selective settable elements for eachindividual radio station desired to be received automatically, the corresponding elements of each group corresponding to a definite point of time, said elements being adapted to automatically close the motor circuit at various predeelements is not interfered with, selectively settable means for automatically closing the motor circuit at predetermined times to tune the recelver to receive preselected stations and means automatically operable when a predetermined station has been tuned in to interrupt the motor circuit, and additional means to close the motor circuit at will to tune in a station, different from the one previously determined upon.

'7. In an automatic tuning device for radio recelvers, an electric motor for actuating the radio tuning elements, a separate motor circuit for each separate station desired to be received automatically, a plurality of selectively manually settable circuit makers each representing a fixed point of time, for each circuit, a single circuit breaker for each station adapted to interrupt the motor circuit when its particular station is tuned in and a timing mechanism for controlling the circuit makers whereby one of a plurality of stations will be tuned in automatically at predetermined times for predetermined intervals, and

additional means to close the motor circuit at will to tune in a station different from the one previously determined upon.

8. In a device of the class described, an electric motor, a condenser shaft operable by the electric motor, a plurality of discs fixed on a common shaft, timing means for driving said shaft, each disc representing a particular radio station and having a plurality of selectively settable means representing points of time, for closing a circuit to the motor, and a plurality of circuit breakers operatively connected with the condenser shaft, one for each disc, whereby when the motor is energized by the circuit closing means on a particular disc, the condenser shaft is rotated until the corresponding circuit breaker interrupts the circuit.

9. In a device of the class described, an electric motor, a condenser shaft operable by the electric motor, a plurality of discs fixed on a common shaft, timing means for driving said shalt, each disc representing a particular radio station and having a plurality of selectively, manually settable means each representing a point of time for closing a circuit to the motor, and a plurality of circuit breakers operatively connected with the condenser shaft, one for each disc, whereby when the motor is energized by the circuit closing means on a particular disc, the condenser shaft is rotated until the corresponding circuit breaker interrupts the circuit, each of said circuit breakers being mounted on the condenser shaft to correspond with the radial position the rotors of the condensers will assume when a particular station is brought in.

10. In a device of the class described, an electric motor, a condenser shaft operable by the electric motor, a plurality of discs fixed on a common shaft, timing means for driving said shaft, each disc having a plurality of settable means for closing a circuit to the motor, a plurality of circuit breakers on the condenser shaft, one for each disc, a terminal block having pairs of terminals in alinement with each disc, and means for moving said block at will out of the paths of the circuit closing means on said discs.

11. In a device of the class described, an electric motor, a condenser shaft operable by the electric motor, a plurality of discs fixed on a common shaft, timing means for driving said shaft, each disc having a plurality of settable means for closing a circuit to the motor, a plurality of circuit breakers on the condenser shaft, one for each disc, a terminal block having pairs of terminals in alinement with each disc, means for moving said block at will out of the paths of the circuit closing means on said discs, and a spring switch for breaking the circuit of the radio receiver when said terminal block is out of the path of said disc closers; said timing mechanism controlling the times at which any one of a plurality of stations is to be received and also the times at which the receiver is to be turned off.

12. In an automatic tuning device of the class 7 described, the combination with a timing mechanism, and an electric motor operatively connected with a tuning element of selective settable means for automatically closing any of a plurality of motor circuits at predetermined times controlled by the timing mechanism to tune in a particular station at a particular time, one of said circuits being provided for each station desired to be received automatically, means for setting the motor circuit closers to operate in accordance with a predetermined schedule, and means for opening the motor circuit when a preselected station has been tuned in.

13. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers having circuit makers, and having cir cuit breakers on the condenser shaft of the receiver; an electric motor, an eccentric driven by said electric motor, a connecting rod pivotally engaged with said eccentric, a friction clutch for rotating the condenser shaft, and an arm on the friction clutch pivoted to said connecting rod "in such manner that the arm may be reciprocated through an arc of less than 180 but sufficient to cover the entire wave band of the variable condensers while the eccentric is rotated through the full 360.

14. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers,-an electric motor for actuating the tuning element of the radio receiver, a plurality of motor circuit breakers associated with the tuning element, one for each station desired to be received automatically; means for closing the motor circuit inaccordance with a predetermined schedule to tune in preselected stations at predetermined times, said means consisting of timing mechanism, a frangible strip propelled by said timing mechanism, time indicating means and station indicating means adjacent said frangible strip to serve as a guide for perforating the strip and as an indicator of what may be expected to be received at a particular time, means to perforate the frangible strip, a contact finger for each station desired to be received automatically, and a bus bar against'which the contact fingers may impinge to close the motor circuit, said fingers being adapted to make contact through the perforations in the frangible strip and to be withdrawn from contact after the particular station has been tuned in.

15. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, an electric motor for actuating the tuning element of the radio receiver, a plurality. of motorcircuit breakers associated with the tuning element, one for each station desired to be received automatically, means for closing the motor circuit at predetermined times to actuate the tuning element to bring in a particular station at a predetermined time, said means consisting of a timing mechanism, a pair of spaced rollers driven by said timing mechanism, a flexible band trained around said rollers to be driven thereby, a series of spaced horizontal rows of perforations over the entire surface of the band representing time intervals, indicia opposite each horizontal row indicating the time interval this row represents, a paper band over the perforations of the flexible band and arranged to travel with the flexible band, markings adjacent the paper band to indicate various stations represented by the vertical rows of said perforations, means to perforate the paper band in register with any of the perforations in the flexible band, a circuit maker for each vertical row of perforations, and means adjacent the flexible band with which electric contact may be made when any perforation in the paper reaches the particular circuit maker.

16. In an automatically time controlled tuning device for radio receivers having a tuning element a timing mechanism, a motor for actuating the tuning element at predetermined times controlled by the timing mechanism, means for automatically stopping the motor when the tuning element has reached a predetermined position, and means for manually actuating the tun--- ing element independently of the motor.

17. In an automatic radio receiver tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and electric motor for actuating the radio receiver tuning elements; of a plurality of rotary contact carriers driven by the timing -mechanism one said carrier for each station desired to be received automatically, a plurality of shiftable contact elements representing points of time, on each carrier, means for selectively shifting any of said contact elements into operative position,

to close the motor circuit at the time represented by the shifted contact element, electric terminals of the motor circuitadjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatively positioned contact elements, and means to shift said operatively positioned contacts to inoperative position after they have made contact with their respective terminal to close the motor circuit.

18. In an automatic radio set tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and an electric motor for actuating the tuning elements of the set, of a plurality of rotary contact carriers, one for each station desired to be received automatically, driven by the timing mechanism, a plurality of shiftable contact elements on each carrier, each element corresponding to a point of time on the timing mechanism, means for selectively shifting any of said contact elements into operative position, and a pair of electric terminals adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatively positioned contact element, for closing the motor circuit at the time represented by the shifted contact element.

19. In an automatic tuning device of the class described, the combination with a timing mechanism, tuning elements and an electric motor operatively connected-with the tuning elements; of a group of selective settalclo elements for each individual radio station desired to be received automatically, the corresponding elements of each group representing a definite point of time, said elements being adapted to automatically close the motor circuit at various predetermined times controlled by the timing mechanism to tune the receiver to receive preselected stations, and means for automatically interrupting the motor circuit when the preselected station has been tuned in.

20. In an automatic radio receiver tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and electric motor for actuating the radio receiver tuning elements; of a plurality of rotary contact carriers driven by the timing mechanism, one said carrier for eachstation desired'to be received automatically, a plurality of shiftable contact elements representing points of time, on each carrier, electric terminals of the motor circuit adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatively positioned contact elements, and means for selectively shifting any of said contact elements into operative position to close the motor circuit at the time represented by the shifted contact element.

21. In an automatic tuning device, for radio receivers, having a tuning element, an electric motor to actuate the same and electric terminals for the motor circuit; a plurality of groups of circuit makers, the circuit makers 01' each group being settably mounted at equal radial distances around a disc and being adapted to be set to extend into the path 01' and to cause a closing of the motor circuit, and means operable after the circuit has been closed to reset the respective circuit maker out of the path oi. the motor circuit terminals.

22. In an automatic radio tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and an electric motor for actuating the radio tuning elements, of a plurality of rotary contact carriers, driven by the timing mechanism, each contact carrier representing a different radio station, a plurality of shiftable contact elements each corresponding to a definite point 0! time on each carrier, means for selectively shifting any 01' said contact elements into operative position, and a pair of electric terminals for closing the motor circuit adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatlvely positioned contact elements.

23. In an automatic radio tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and an electric motor for actuating the radio tuning elements, of a plurality of rotary contact carrle'rs, driven by the timing mechanism, each contact carrier representing a different radio station, a plurality of shiftable contact elements each corresponding to a definite point of time on each carrier, means for selectively shitting any of said contact elements into operative po-' sition, and'means for closing the motor circuit adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatlvely positioned contact elements.

24. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, an electric motor for actuating the tuning element of the radio receiver, a plurality of motor circuit breakers associated with the tuning element, one for each station desired to be received automatically; means for closing the motor circuit in accordance with a predetermined schedule to tune in preselected stations at predetermined times, said means consisting of timing mechanism, a frangible strip propelled by said timing mechanism, time indicating means and station indicating means adjacent said frangible strip, means to indicate the intersection of lines projected from the time and the station indicating means to enable a listener to select in advance the particular stations desired to be heard at particular times in the future and to perforate the frangible strip at such points of intersection, a contact finger for each station desired to be received automatically, and a bus bar against which the contact fingers may impinge to close the motor circuit, said fingers being adapted to make contact through the perforations in the frangible strip and to be withdrawn from contact after the particular station has been tuned in.

25. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, an electric motor for actuating the tuning element of the radio receiver, a plurality of motor circuit breakers associated with the tuning element, one for each station desired to be received automatically, means for closing the motor circuit at predetermined times to actuate the tuning element to bring in a particular station at a predetermined time, said means consisting of a timing mechanism, a. pair of spaced rollers driven by said timing mechanism, a flexible band trained around said rollers to be driven thereby, a frangible strip over the flexible band and arranged to travel with said band, a series of spaced horizontal rows of perforations over the entire surface of the band representing time intervals, indicia adjacent each horizontal row indicating the time this row represents, markings adjacent the flexible band to indicate various stations represented by the vertical rows of said perforations, means to locate the perforations beneath the frangible strip to enable the listener to select a particular station he desires to hear at a particular time and to perforate the frangible strip in registry with one of the perforations, a circuit maker for each vertical row of perforations, and means adjacent the flexible band with which electric contact may be made when any perforation in the strip reaches the particular circuit maker. a

26. In a radio receiving set having a movable tuning element, in combination, a plurality of adjustable intermediate means normally engaging said tuning element, each representing a selected wave length, a tuning motor, means to start said motor, selecting means to associate a desired intermediate means with said motor to tune saidelement, a program pattern, and timing means to associate said pattern and starting and selecting means.

2'7. In a radio receiving set having a movable tuning element, in combination, a motor adapted to actuate said element to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, a program pattern correlating time and tuning element positions, a selector, a timer adapted to coordinate said pattern and selector, means actuated by said selector to determine the position to which said motor actuates said element in accordance with said pattern, and means to individually adjust any tuning position to which said motor moves said element.

28. The combination with a tunable element of a radio set, of tuning means to actuate said element, a plurality of position determining means associated with said element to determine the position to which said element can be actuated, a program pattern adapted to have an indication thereon for each position determining means, timing means operatively associated with said pattern, and means whereby an indication thereon actuates said tuning means and the position determining means corresponding to said indication.

29. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, the combination with timing mechanism, of automatic means for tuning a receiver to receive consecutively at the will of the listener any series of individual stations preselected by the listener at any future times predetermined by the listener said automatic means including a tuning motor associated with the tuning element, a plurality of selective means to start the motor at predetermined times controlled by the timing means, each starting means representing a particular wave length desired, and a plurality of means to stop the motor, each representing a selected wave length and associated with a respective starting means.

30. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, means by which a listener may preselect a schedule of programs to be received from different broadcasting stations over a period of hours, said means comprising a tuning motor associated with the tuning element, a plurality of circuits to the motor, each circuit representing a particular wave length desired, a plurality of settable means for closing each circuit selectively settable to predetermine the time at which said circuits shall be closed, a timer to control said last mentioned means, and other means in each circuit to open the circuit when its particular wave length has been tuned in.

31. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, means by which a listener may preselect a schedule of programs to be received from different broadcasting stations over a period of hours, said means comprising a tuning motor associated with the tuning element, a plurality of circuits to the motor, each circuit, except one, representing a particular Wave length desired, and the one representing a silent period, a plurality of settable means for closing each circuit and selectively settable to predetermine the time at which said circuits shall be closed, a timer to control said last mentioned means, other means in each circuit except the one, to open the circuit when its particular wave length has been tuned in, and other means in the one circuit to open it when the tuning element has been actuated to a predetermined position for silencing the receiver.

32. In an automatic tuning device for radio receivers, means by which a listener may preselect a schedule of programs to be received from different broadcasting stations over a period of hours, said means comprising a tuning motor associated with the tuning element, a plurality of circuits to the motor, each circuit except one, representing a particular wave length desired, and the one representing a silent period, a plurality of settable means for closing each circuit, selectively settable to predetermine the time at which said circuits shall be closed, a timer to control said last mentioned means, other means in each circuit except the one, to open the circuit when its particular wave length has been tuned in, other means in the one circuit to open it when the tuning element has been actuated to a predetermined position for silencing the receiver, and a switch in the circuit to the radio receiver arranged to be opened by the motor simultaneously with the opening of the one motor circuit when the tuning element has been actuated to the silent position.

33. In an automatic radio tuning device, the combination with a timing mechanism and an electric motor for actuating the radio tuning elements, of a plurality of rotary contact carriers, driven by'the timing mechanism, each contact carrier representing a different radio station, a plurality of shiftable contact elements each corresponding to a definite point of time on each carrier, means for selectively shifting any of said contact elements into operative position, and means for closing the motor circuit adjacent each said carrier and in the path of the respective operatively positioned contact elements, means for manually rotating the contact carriers and the timing mechanism to indicate the various times at which a particular radio station is to be heard, and means for setting the contacts into operative position, said manually rotating means also serving to return the timing mechanism and contact carrier so the timing mechanism will indicate the then correct time.

JOSEPH LA VIA. 

